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Gibbo

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Joined April 2021

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Let’s make it super simple. Where were you born?

Keary? He’s QLD born, therefore eligible to represent QLD.

Walker? He’s Leeds born, therefore eligible to represent the Poms but not QLD.

As a proud QLDer, I’d be ok with these even if it means that some of our guys are ineligible.

If Kiwis and Poms are allowed to play, Origin might be about to stumble into eligibility rules that work

Where’s Neser? What’s he done wrong? Part of the Ashes squad and assured that “we have a whole squad mentality and everybody will play their part at some point in this series” but then not used, now pipped by Morris in this squad, it seems that the selectors are hellbent on picking Patty’s mates rather than blokes in form. Neser has been the form bowler in the Shield for the past 3 seasons but has played just 2 Tests, especially when the “Big 3” run out of gas so obviously at the end of the summer.

Paris has been banging down the door, Tremain is in an extended purple patch, even Fergus O’Neill and Nathan McAndrew have been really good this season.

None of them are maybe the long term answers that Morris might provide (should he stay healthy), but surely, with Morris’s injury history, he’s better off getting through an entire summer of bowling in the Shield before debuting? Bring in Neser, Tremain or Paris to cover for Starc. That rewards them. Seriously, I’m so sick of the selectors constantly ignoring form in the Shield and just running with what seems to be “Patty’s mates” more than what’s best.

Australia Test squad: Why Morris should be rushed in for injured star, Warner gets his wish, Marsh nudges out Green

If you read the rules, they can only be selected in the position they’re in or the one below it. In Khawaja’s case, I think it was a toss up between him and Green. I think that Green’s was more significant for him and for his side in the grand scheme of things. Khawaja doesn’t need runs. He’s assured of a spot in the Test team. So yes, a little stiff to miss out here, but he’s in the Test side already! Also why Marnus didn’t make my disappointment list cause he was right up there!

Sheffield Shield Round 6 Wrap: Who's hot, who's not heading into the Test summer?

Jeez not sure how I missed either of those two, tbh! Yes, both deserved to be selected. Sorry for overlooking it! 😱

Sheffield Shield Round 6 Wrap: Who's hot, who's not heading into the Test summer?

I’ve seen the grade cricket scores. There really aren’t many others who could do better than these guys, unfortunately. I follow grade each week as I usually need some form of decent cricket to follow after my dismal club showings. Stuart Clark is still going around in the 4th Grade of Sydney Premier Cricket playing with his son. He captains and takes wickets for Sutherland too! Peter Forrest is still mediocre and is still playing for Manly (I think or maybe Northern Districts). There are a few others going around like that who’re older guys playing grade in Sydney who are still fairly average players.

There are some exciting up-and-coming youngsters (I’ve played with a few of them), but they’ll inevitably get lost in the “system” and their returns will taper off. It’s the system that’s the issue, not the players themselves. Blake Macdonald has been one of the best Grade cricketers for a few years. Let’s give him a chance. Matt Gilkes seems to have found his niche at the Shield level after many years.

Sheffield Shield Round 5 Wrap: Who made their case for a Test spot?

Good pickup, Micko! 😂 No, it was meant to say “selection”.

Sheffield Shield Round 5 Wrap: Who made their case for a Test spot?

I mentioned him in my last wrap, but I thought that Matt Gilkes is also starting to come into his own. You are correct, however. I’d love to see what he does in the future.

Sheffield Shield Round 5 Wrap: Who made their case for a Test spot?

Depends on the bowler and the near future. I don’t think that guys like Boland (34) or Neser (33) are the future, but there are some guys like Paris (31) and even Tremain (32) that might have another 3-4 years to give to the Test circuit. In that time, there are plenty of Tests to be played for which they could be selected. Granted, it’s not Jhye Richardson (26) or Lance Morris (24), but there aren’t that many young bowlers outside of Richardson and Morris who are seasoned enough to play Tests yet. Jordan Buckingham and Spencer Johnson need a couple more years of consistency in the Shield first.

Sheffield Shield Round 5 Wrap: Who made their case for a Test spot?

Fair call, Don! Tim Ward, by the scorecards I was looking at last round, made 4 off 20 in the only innings he played. No other opener, besides Harris, made a heap of runs and Street, by my maths (which admittedly isn’t great) was the next best. Although, Bancroft with 47 across 2 innings was also good.

It’s hard in three sentences to really encapsulate what the game is all about. You’re right. Bancroft’s 8 at slip were amazing (I’ve taken 3 at second slip in a club game this season, but 8 is something else altogether). Jayden Goodwin played probably his best innings to date, but I think I felt like it was more SA’s match to lose rather than WA’s to win. I’ve also waxed eloquent about WA in previous editions as well.

Sheffield Shield Round 5 Wrap: Who made their case for a Test spot?

Fair call, Sammy. I was probably a little harsh on the guy. In relation to the two Tests, I remember watching both of them, and I certainly don’t remember either deck being particularly bad. Both were just good cricket wickets with a little bit in it for both bowlers and batsmen. If you applied yourself, there were runs there, but there was also enough for the bowlers to stay interested.

One thing that Harris has always had going for him is his powers of concentration. He’s always had that in spades, and I’d venture to say that in England, the relative lack of airspeed from the majority of the bowlers he’s facing would help him score runs.

Sheffield Shield round 4 wrap: NSW finally win a game and do we have a possible bolter selection for the summer Tests?

Fair. Depends on what you want from your spinner. As a captain, I want my spinner to take wickets, and I’m ok if he concedes a few runs in the process. Lyon kept it tight but didn’t seem as incisive as Rocchiccioli did. That was my take on it.

Sheffield Shield round 4 wrap: NSW finally win a game and do we have a possible bolter selection for the summer Tests?

Damo, can you imagine them doing this to Brett Lee back in the day? Haha. Or Thommo?

Sheffield Shield round 4 wrap: NSW finally win a game and do we have a possible bolter selection for the summer Tests?

I’m not sure Jhye Richardson will ever be fully fit and firing. He seems to be in a similar mould to Jason Behrendorff. You’re spot on about the 32yo debutants. I LOVE Neser, and his stats are similar to if not better than most of the “Big 3” currently and Boland’s. However, he’s not getting any younger either, and unfortunately, has probably missed his opportunity, thanks to the selectors.

I’d say that it’s time for a root and branch review of the attack. The same 4 blokes have anchored this attack for several years now, keeping other deserving quicks out of the attack. Surely there are opportunities where you can get other guys in the side and really enhance your lineup. Maybe you call it “Horses for courses” or something like that?

Sheffield Shield round 4 wrap: NSW finally win a game and do we have a possible bolter selection for the summer Tests?

You’re right, Micko, it was probably his best game ever, and that’s why I didn’t give him a shout-out. When I think of players who are “pushing Test claims”, I’m considering players who’ve been on the radar for a while. If O’Neill has a great Shield (which I’ve got little doubt he can do), then yeah, he’ll be right up there.

Sheffield Shield Wrap: Who impressed in Round 3?

Fair point. Dwarshuis is only 29, but Hughes (34) and Henriques (34) and Bird (37) are all reasonably old. Tremain, at 32, would be feeling fairly sprightly by comparison. Lyon (36) doesn’t help the age of that attack either. Still, you’ve got Blake Nikitaras (23), Matt Gilkes (24), Jason Sangha (24) and Blake Macdonald (25) all in that side who are all well under 30.

Sheffield Shield Wrap: Who impressed in Round 3?

Tremain and Paris. Both great talents.

Sheffield Shield Wrap: Who impressed in Round 3?

He only bowled a couple of overs at Hope and Freeman after Wade’s dismissal.

Sheffield Shield Wrap: Who impressed in Round 3?

Totally agree! We did something similar for the Ashes series in England with Dukes balls, so why not set up specialised spinning wickets or, alternatively, return the wickets back to their original state i.e. Adelaide spins as it gets older, the SCG is a spinner’s wicket, the MCG also generally speaking spins later on in the match as well.

Sheffield Shield Wrap: Who impressed in Round 3?

He’ll get picked…but Michael Neser won’t. Go figure…

Sheffield Shield Wrap: Who impressed in Round 3?

Some poor captaincy from Peirson as well, unfortunately. He took Swepson off after he’d just taken Wade’s wicket and was looking like getting another with a bevy of right handers to come in the Tassie lineup.

Sheffield Shield Wrap: Who impressed in Round 3?

Totally agree with this comment! This is more “if the side were picked in a vacuum who would be selected based solely on this round and no other factor considered” type of selection.

But that said, Handscomb is just 31. Paris turns 31 in a few days. Tremain is only 32. I wouldn’t count any of those 3 out yet. Agree that Wade and Burns have probably missed the boat, some would say unjustly, but at 34 and 35 respectively, your Test career is closer to the end than the beginning. Adam Voges would beg to differ, but nonetheless, you’re not doing yourself a favour if you’re picking either of those blokes in the Test team cause the same problem will persist in a couple of years time anyway trying to find their replacements.

Sheffield Shield Wrap: Who impressed in Round 3?

That was a tricky area for me, Gordon. Rocchiccioli and Swepson have been solid if unspectacular this Shield season and both got mentions in the previous two wraps. Todd Murphy has underperformed (if he’s the incumbent next man up behind Lyon). I’d love to see more spinning decks, but if we keep turning out emerald green strips (like they had at Bellerive this week), it’ll be tough for them to get wickets.

Incidentally, Swepson looked the most likely of the QLDers to get a wicket in the second innings, and indeed, he picked up Wade with a beauty! But he only got one more over after that and didn’t bowl again. If he’d bowled to some of those right handers outside the leg stump to take advantage of the rough, a different story might be told now, maybe? Who knows?

Sheffield Shield Wrap: Who impressed in Round 3?

I’ve mentioned him in the previous 2 editions already, TCL. I could’ve mentioned him here as well, but I thought that Joel Paris warranted a mention with his 11 wickets.

Sheffield Shield Wrap: Who impressed in Round 3?

Interesting. That first innings in the most recent game, though, was well below that average.

Sheffield Shield round 2 wrap: Who's making their claims for a test spot this summer?

Me too, DTM. For me Renshaw’s knock in Mackay was more impressive because the pitch was offering something to the quicks at the time and he weathered the storm early on. He got lucky as well with a dropped chance.

Sheffield Shield round 2 wrap: Who's making their claims for a test spot this summer?

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